Several of you have mentioned that I must try Gjetost when I am Norway. This weekend I decided a little pre-trip preparation might be in order. Todays mission: Find Gjetost. I am here to report I was successful and I have actually had this before - but I did not know what it was called or that it was from Norway. I believe this knowledge enhanced the tasting experience today.
Gjetost is a firm, dark, goat cheese. The brand pictured above is actually the most popular in Norway (according to Saveur magazine anyway) and it is only about 10% goat's whey and the rest is cow's whey. All I have to say is yay for the whey. No matter it's origin. This stuff is good. It has a slightly sweet carmel flavor that is most unique and most delicous. Perfect with grapes and triscuits.
My tastebuds are now officially ready for Norway.
ok to REALLY savor gjetost...
If you can't slice it really really thin, get a cheese slicer that will shave a very thin slice of it. Have the very thin slices of gjetost at the ready and as soon as the toast comes out of the toaster, put on the gjetost and let it get soft. In Norway we had a thinner bread than in the US so you might want to find some lighter pumpernickel or something like that. It is the MOST marvelous taste treat in the world! Yummmmmmm.... glad you tried it but now you will really love it!
Posted by: Rhonda | 04/28/2012 at 11:16 AM
Sounds very yummy to me. I'll have to check around here for that brand. So this seems to be a breakfast cheese in Norway? Interesting. Americans don't associate cheese with breakfast unless it's in an omelet or like Brie/croissant..
And how do you pronounce Gjetost? Doesn't the "J" have an "H" sound?
Posted by: Joan Clarke | 04/29/2012 at 11:08 AM
The reason it is so caramelly is that it is actually the carmelizing of the sugars in the whey left over from cheesemaking. It is really not very cheesy (and it doesn't have much protein) but it is just delicious!
Posted by: Rhonda | 04/29/2012 at 12:27 PM
Gjetost = YAY-toast. Thanks for the toast suggestion Rhonda. THAT was sublime!
Posted by: Carol | 04/29/2012 at 09:02 PM
Yes, toasted on very thin crackers is so so good. Used to eat that all the time. Yummy!!
Posted by: Barbara | 05/02/2012 at 02:41 PM